What Will Become Of Our Stamp Collections When We're Gone?

The other day while sorting through a pile of old US stamps, I came across one with a hinge. Not a rare thing to happen, but in this particular instance it caused me to reflect a little bit on that stamp.

I wondered - Where has it been, when was it used, how many times had it been mounted, removed, sorted through and changed hands over the years? A common 2 cent Washington, close to a 100 years old, everything about its travels forgotten and lost forever.

Someday - I figure, I'll be gone (I'm only 36, so, hopefully, that's a ways out), and maybe I can think that my kids will take up my collection, but, maybe reality sets in and it is more likely the collection, painstakingly collected, sorted, gathered, and mounted, will be split up, and auctioned off. Each stamp then ending up in this mix or that, someone's album here, or, someones duplicate pile in their closet.

That same 2 cent Washington, that now sits in my stockbook because I already had one, may find life again 50 years from now in some future album. Or not...


My book collection (I have about 1500 books) are nearly all stamped with a custom self-inking stamp I ordered that says "From the Library Of" and my name and my city. I like to think that 100 years from now, people will randomly come across a book of mine at a used book sale and wonder: Who was this guy?

Dr. Meng's famous stamp collection was auctioned off in parts...Eventually, no one will remember where some of those stamps came from. FDR's collection was sold after his death, most of that material has also probably become unknown to its history.

Anyway, thought this was an interesting thought to write about....For many people, a lifetime of work, eventually, dissipates after they are gone.

Don't know why I thought I would deliver this little essay, but, here it is..


Eric